The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-07

1cN' III mo lesson, IN IL, io-eoiu'h
| Text, Is. cxxi, d.
The methods used by Pharaoh to check tho
growing population Of Israel failed. The
king resorted 10 new expedient in attempt
ing 10 have all the boys destroyed at birth,
but with.only partial success. In Gods hands
this cruel edct was the means Of training the
future leader OF Israel,
THE LESSON.
The Birth of Moses Tvs. |, ga certain
man of the tribe of Levi, which was TO he the
priestly tribe took wife OF the daughters Of
his tribe. They had a son. He was such
beautiful babe that his mother used extraor.
binary means to save his life. She hid him
three months
The Ark Of PapyruS ". 3)--But she could
not hide him any longer. She therefore made
little ark Of papyIuS, which she rendered
firm by daubing it with bitumen t"mneral
pitcl'o and water tight by the use of veSet-
able pitch, and nut the little boy in 1t and
placed il among the flags ON the brink of the
Nile. An this corresponds well TO the time of
RaMScS II The royal residence had been mt
Memphis, where, on account OF the swift cur
rent of the ME- IL won Il have been imposSi-
bic for the c,ill to bc left in any safety. But
at TaniS Xoan, which was the royal residence
at this time, the case was different. The Ia
mali, arm OF the Nile at this point is narrow,
the current slow and the flags thick. 1t is
not improbable that the Hebrew mother Sc
lected the particular place in tAe river to
which the Egyptian princess might be ex-
peclel to come.
vs.. !, j. She stationed his sister, probably
Miriam, near 10y to see what would happen.
The plan was successful. Not long after Pha-
raohS daughter, perhaps the eldest of the
princesSos, came down TO the edge OF the
river, quite in accordance with the custom OF
ancient times, to battle, attended by her
mailcns. She saw the little ark ut n dis
lance. Her curiosity was aroused and she
sent one of her madcns to fetch It.
V. q. Shrraised the lii of the little ark and
saw beautiful child weeping Clohrcwl, Her
heart was touched with compassion, but she
recognized at once that i. was one of the He
brow children.
The Faithful Sister Tvs :, M--Meanwhile
the sister of the babe, who had been eagerly
watching and who had seen the interest
which the princess manifested in him, APP
pcarcd at tie right moment and made sug-
geStion which found favorable response in
the heart of PharaohS daughter although
very likely she had not thought OF it until
then. "Shall so and call thee nurse of
the Hebrew women, that she may nurse the
child for thce.' The maiden perhaps trem-
blcl with anxiety to hear the reply, but the
answer came, Co. She went ana brought
the babes mother, and Pharaoh'S daughter
told her to nurse the child for her and she
would give her wages.
Moses Education ". l0l-The mother kept
the boy until he was weaned. and perhaps
even longer. She then brought him to Pha.
raoh's daughter and he became her son. We
do not know whether the Egyptians practiced
adoption, but we have every reason to be-
lieve that his education was like that of Il
prince of that time, and that there Is no eX-
aGgcration in the statement in Acts vii,
-, where it is said that "Moses was instruct
ed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians"
This wisdom included, according to Canon
Rawlinson, "orthography, grammar, history,
theology, medicine. arithmetic, geometry, as
tronomy and engineering" II is likely that
his education would include not only these
branches, but also a knowledge OF the Phrni-
clan language, which was then the language
of commerce, much like the French and Eng
fish language at the present day. The Phu-
nician, however, as modern Investigations
have proved, was essentially the same as He
brew The future lawgiver of Israel, as the
adopted son of Pharaoh's daughter, thus had
remarkable preparation for hls future
work
1t is probable that he lad at least some ia
miliarity with the following subjects: |.
With the legal systcmof Egypt. =. With the
theological works of the Egyptians, including
the Book of the Dead, which furnishes some
striking parallels with the Ten Command
ments. 3. With the ritual, including the
regulations regarding the priesthood H.
With the art of writing
All these considerations are at least favor
able to the antiquity OF the Pentateuch and to
the Theory of its authorship by Moses.
Pharaoh's daughter called her adopted son
Moses, which is n common nanc among tho
Egyptians in the form Mcsu, which signifies |
child although it comes from root TO draw
forth, and therefore would seem especially |
suited 10 Phaaohs daughter rs the name Of
this adopted son.
POINTS TO BE pEMEIDERED.
/. Nothing is small in Gods plan The |
dcslinies of nations one" depended on the fate
Of little infant, and this was determined 10y !
the faithruuo,s and tact of a little girl who |
spoke the right word at the right time.
=. God co-.-os,.s with human Instrumental. |
ties in The execution Of bis plans. Under his
guidance everything conspncd |
in perfectly natural way to prepare Moses |
for the work which inc had in store for him.
3. Cod does not dcSpiae human learning. |
When God raised up his servant Noses he |